Experience the ultimate in eco friendly winter vacations and enjoy a stay at an Earthship in Taos, New Mexico. An Earthship is above and beyond the typical environmentally sustainable built home and the ultimate in energy-efficient and eco-friendly design.
These 100 percent sustainably built structures include off-grid power, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater collection systems and on-site natural waste water treatment facilities, creating the ultimate eco-friendly winter home vacation.
Originally designed in 1972 by architect Mike Reynolds, the Earthship Biotecture design incorporates six basic elements that sets the Earthship apart from any conventionally built “green†home on the market today. Because Earthships use naturally occurring resources like sunlight and geothermal mass, they make the perfect getaway for wintertime fun without using any fossil fuels to heat the structure during winter.
Renting an Earthship for your perfect winter vacation is as easy as making an online reservation.
One of three rentals at Earthship Biotecture, the “Phoenix†Earthship is a three bedroom, two bathroom gorgeous Earthship rental, complete with an indoor waterfall and jungle that is simply breathtaking.
But don’t bother looking for a thermostat to adjust the heat—there isn’t one! This Earthship is naturally heated and cooled with geothermal energy, so you’ll be snug and toasty without burning any polluting fossil fuels to heat the home. Rental fees for this eco-vacation home start at $120 a night.
The Corner Cottage is another Earthship that rents for $160 a night and includes a two bedroom, one bath design with a huge double atrium overlooking the scenic Taos Valley This gorgeous rental provides stunning examples of the recycled materials used to create the Earthship. Colored wine bottles and old appliance metal create a clever and attractive way to recycle waste materials into building materials.
A smaller but more eclectic and colorful Earthship—aptly named the “Studioâ€â€”rents for $135 a night and is the perfect place for a couple to get away from it all. Or not. All three Earthships for rent are located in the Taos Ski Valley, home to some of the best skiing resorts in the nation.
After staying in an Earthship, you may find your interests exceed the vacation and you find you’re in the market to buy an eco-friendly home. Buying an Earthship isn’t difficult; in fact many different models are for sale around the United States.
Whether you occupy and Earthship one night or every night, it helps all of us on this fragile planet conserve the resources we have now and ones for future generations to come.
Ever stayed in an Earthship or lived in one? Leave a comment and tell us what you thought!
Eric Brennan is a second generation master carpenter with over 20 years of construction industry experience. Since 2005, Eric has also been a hard at work honing his skills as a home improvement writer. In 2009, he was given the Associated Content award for best home improvement writer. Eric is currently a featured green and home improvement writer for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and editor of Construct101. He has produced thousands of articles on everything construction, remodeling, interior decorating, green building, and many other home improvement related fields for countless websites and blogs including the DIY network, P&G Tide, DeWalt.com, AT&T, Huffington Post, and Yahoo! News.